Turkish, Qatari parliamentary officials discuss bilateral ties

By Aynur Ekiz

ANKARA (AA) - The Chairman of the Committee on National Defense of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, Hulusi Akar, met Thursday with the head of the Qatar-Türkiye Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group, Ahmed bin Hitmi Al Hitmi, and his accompanying delegation in Ankara.

During the meeting, Akar said that relations between Türkiye and Qatar continue to be extensive and multidimensional, expressing the hope for a further strengthening of relations through such high-level visits.

Emphasizing that serious efforts are being made not only in defense and security relations but also in areas such as economy, education, health and tourism, he said "although the figures in our economic relations are not sufficient, we expect them to increase in the coming days."

Akar also highlighted the significant steps taken in defense and security matters, emphasizing the importance of the relationship between Türkiye and Qatar.

Al Hitmi noted that the Shura Council is the first elected parliament in Qatar.

"It consists of 30 elected members, and 15 are appointed by His Highness the Emir. We have a total of 45 members," he said.

Recalling that the first agreement between Qatar and Türkiye was reached when the Shura Council was established, Al Hitmi said: "Our bilateral relations started with a memorandum of understanding, and I am sure that these visits will have a positive impact on bilateral relations."

"Even before these agreements were made, our brotherly relations were expressed in every aspect and on every platform. Moreover, there is a consensus between Qatar and Türkiye," he added.

Al Hitmi noted that Türkiye has rich and vast experience in both legislation and the functioning of public institutions, expressing Qatar's desire to benefit from these experiences.

*Writing by Alperen Aktas from Istanbul